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Patriot Act...

This was a bit unnerving. I got the usual credit card application in the mail today, but it included a little note:"In order to approve your application, the USA Patriot Act requires that you provide your physical street address in addition to your PO Box."

egg

Not in the credit-card-application area. Hopefully not in the law-application area, either, because I use a PO Box myself (OMG TERRIST).

But I do some work at a mental health clinic, and am required to notify patients of a few of the act's gorier details. Under its provisions, the FBI can request my psychotherapy notes and patient records (a little like a subpoena), but I am actually obligated by law not to tell my client or anybody else that they did so- ever (not at all like a subpoena).

It's creepy.

What's worse is that they weren't even aiming for psychotherapy notes in particular with the patriot act, they're just part of the "All of Your Medical Information" bag that they got when they subjected business records to this surveillance-and-seizure-without-notification policy.

Actually, word on the street is that either way, you can probably expect a new AG in January. Seems Bush and Ashcroft have grown apart somewhat over the past 4 years. That could be baseless rumor, though.